Do you remember the first time you got behind the wheel? You were likely nervous, excited, and ready to experience that feeling of freedom! At any given time, thousands of Texas teens are experiencing that very same feeling. Unfortunately, these teen drivers are also more likely to get involved in car accidents. Learn below what factors contribute to this well-known fact.
Inexperience
One of the biggest teen crash risk factors is inexperience. Considering that teenagers are just learning how to drive, they’ll have no choice but to navigate unfamiliar situations. Since they can’t lean on experience, they have to learn by potentially making accident-causing mistakes.
Overconfidence
The only thing worse than inexperience is feeling overconfident in your abilities. When a teenage driver minimizes the real dangers of driving in favor of feeling confident, accidents often result. Overconfidence can result in dangerous actions like not wearing a seatbelt, driving too fast, or failing to consider road hazards like rain.
Distractions
Distractions are one of the biggest causes of all accidents, and teenagers are particularly vulnerable to getting distracted by technology, friends, food, and other things. Texting, in particular, is a major concern for teenaged drivers.
Bad decisions: intoxication and reckless driving
Of course, bad decisions are also a common teen driver risk factor. If you get injured in a crash where the teen driver was intoxicated or driving recklessly, then that driver’s parents might be held liable for the damages.
How to avoid teen car accidents
Everyone wants to avoid car accidents, so we all need to do our part to remain as vigilant as possible when we’re behind the wheel. The best thing you can do to prevent an accident is to remain distraction-free, cautious, and aware of other drivers. If you do spot a nervous teen driver, then consider giving them the space they need to learn and grow.